Soldier, Protector, Savior
by Kristanci
Summary: Delta squad has been given a new mission of finding a fallen King Raven. With the help of an unknown source for support, Delta must journey underground to find the fallen bird and its survivors. Contains spoilers and excessive swearing. Enjoy.
1. Back to the Beginning

Ok, here we go. My first attempt at a story with actual chapters as opposed to the one-shots I've been creating here and there. I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as the others. Happy reading.

BTW, I love writing cliffhangers. Carrying on.

Dom Santiago, member of Delta Squad of the COG army, almost ran straight into his squad leader Marcus Fenix. They had been powering through the aftermath of the most recent snow storm, keeping their blood pumped while they found the nearest COG checkpoint. Dom had looked to the right, looking for any rogue Locusts in the area. Control has said Locust activity was minimal in this region, but that didn't meant they could afford to keep their guard down. Marcus had abruptly stopped in front of him, his hand on his earpiece.

"Repeat!" he said in disbelief. "Soldier, I say again, repeat!"

Cole and Baird had also slowed their pace wondering what the hold up was. "Yo, what's up?" Cole asked, breathing heavily. His breaths came out in light clouds.

Marcus glared at him to keep quiet, and tapped his temple, telling him to activate his own earpiece. The others followed suit, and Dom could hear a voice screaming in his ear mixed with explosions and cries of fear. He could also the slithering voices of the Locusts in the background.

"This is Nathan Jarva!" yelled the voice. "Of rho squad, reporting that King Raven 763-1 has been hit by Reavers! I repeat, Raven 763-1 has been hit and possibly fallen underground. Anyone listening, please assist!"

"763…" Dom repeated slowly. The numbers were oddly familiar. Usually, he didn't pay attention to the unit number, but this numerical order stuck out. The more he thought about it, he realized where he had seen Raven before. "Isn't that Hoffman's personal carrier?"

Marcus nodded, but he didn't say anything. "Are there survivors?"

"Colonel Hoffman, Lieutenant Stroud and several Gears were on aboard to transfer sensitive material back to the control tower. Under heave fire, sir! We have no evidence that they survived-"

"You listen, and you listen good, Jarva," Marcus started, cutting off the voice.

Dom knew where this was going. He had been fighting beside Marcus for so long, he could tell what the squad leader was thinking even if he didn't shout out orders. Without even taking the time to ponder the possible outcome of Marcus' next words, he knew the man had every intention of finding the survivors of the King Raven.

"You're going to tell me exactly where that bird went down, soldier," Marcus said coolly.

"Uh…" the man stammered. For a few seconds, his voice was drowned out by gunfire. "Judging from street that we saw her fall from… I would say near the House of Sovereigns, sir!"

"Copy that," Marcus said. "Keep taking those bastards down."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Nathan yelled, and then the frequency was lost.

The four members of Delta Squad huddled in formation, each with a questionable expression on his face. "Well, déjà fucking vu," Dom said to break the silence. He and Marcus knew the place well. They had to clear that particular building shortly after he had sprung Marcus from jail.

"No kidding," said Marcus. "The Seeders must have jammed our radio frequency again. That mayday wasn't supposed to be directed to us. It was meant for control." He looked down at his Lancer, contemplating his next move.

"Hey, man, you want to go searching for her, I got your back," Dom assured. Whether or not Marcus figured "her" to be the King Raven or Anya, he decided to let it go. They needed to make a decision now; their comrades, if they were still alive, were depending on them. He also wanted to go underground to search for Maria, so any mission that would take them under, he welcomed.

Cole raised up his large muscular arms in encouragement. "Hey, baby, we been walking for three hours, and we haven't seen shit. I want something to shoot! You wanna go find the lost bird, I'm in." Dom wondered where the ex-linebacker found the energy to always be on the ready to take on the alien species head on. Walking through snow wasn't the easiest thing, and Cole made it seem like he was skipping through a meadow.

Dom nudged Baird in the shoulder. "What do you say, Baird?"

The blond squad member rolled his eyes and let out a theatrical heavy sigh. "Well, there goes my vacation. Well, you'll be happy to know that the trigger happy child in my heart just jumped for joy. So, let's go."

Marcus spoke into his earpiece again. His expression softened, and Dom figured that was the closest thing to appreciation they were going to see from Marcus. "Control, this is Delta. Request-"

"Hear you loud and clear, Delta," came an unknown voice. Despite the static, Dom could hear that the voice was computerized, probably a disguise to lure away from personal identification. "Raven is en route to your coordinates. Your new mission will be to find King Raven 763-1. Primary objective is to locate and extract the materials carried by Victor Hoffman and Anya Stroud. Secondary objective is to find and evacuate survivors."

"Copy that, Control," Marcus said gruffly. "Delta out."

He shared a concerned look with Dom, and suddenly he didn't have a good feeling about their new mission. It was too convenient, too easy. He shut off his earpiece, making sure only his squad could hear him. "What do you think, Marcus?" he asked skeptically. "I, for sure as hell didn't recognize that voice. Any idea who that was?"

"Not a damn clue," Marcus admitted, shaking his head. "Regardless, I'm not going to play hide and seek and waste more time out here."

"Can't argue with you there," Dom said. "I'll tell you right now though, I don't trust him."

"Well, what if it's a girl?" Baird chimed in, being a smartass again. He kept his gaze down, messing with the computer on his arm.

"Or _her_, if it is a woman," Dom glared at his teammate. "We could be going right into a trap. That transmission could have been easily picked up by the Locusts."

Cole shouldered his Lancer and sided with Dom. "Could be a million Locusts we pissed off because of the Lightmass Bomb. We're probably on the Queen's hitlist by now."

Dom couldn't agree more. Locusts were violent, bloodthirsty, sick, and ugly, but they weren't stupid. It's very possible that Delta made a reputation in the Locusts population, and their recent activities could have expressed orders for their immediate removal.

Marcus was deep in thought, patiently listening to each of his teammates concerns. "The mayday transmission was real, so regardless we're heading to the House of Sovereigns. As for who our "support" is… just keep your guard up. You pick anything up?" he asked Baird.

Baird had been checking the small terminal that had been fused to his armor. Since control had contacted them, he had been punching away at buttons on his left forearm. "Nothing… there's no ID on this guy. No name, no history, and usually I can find out anything about damn near anybody on our side. But the signal did come from the control tower. Far as hacking into the system to find out who he is, I keep getting blocked out."

That in itself caused more concern. It wasn't' the first time their own had kept secrets from them, but this time, there were more red flags going off in Dom's head. What could the higher ups be hiding from them this time? What was Prescott thinking? Was it even Prescott that ordered them to find 763-1?

Minutes later, to his surprise, a Raven could be seen on the horizon. The presence of their transport destroyed any chance of their new support being of the Locusts species, but he was going to take Marcus' advice. Friendly or not, he was going to keep his guard up. "I still got a bad feeling," Dom said, keeping his eyes on the bird.

"Yeah…" Marcus said. "I don't like surprises either."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So here is the prologue. Of course, it doesn't carry the same effect as the one-shots, but bear with me. Also, I don't know anyone in the military nor have I been part of it. The terminology used in this story is based off of what I hear and observe from the games. So if something is not as realistic as it should be, I will apologize now. I'm not trying to be ignorant or lazy. If you liked this chapter, then stay tuned. I have every intention of updating quickly. Thanks for reading.

Kris


	2. Reluctant Findings

As soon as his feet touched the grounds of the landing zone, Marcus sprinted toward the crash site of King Raven 763-1. A dull fear began to grow in the pit of his stomach when he saw a large crater the size of half a football field. Bits and pieces of the chopper had landed all over the place, even a propeller was protruding from a nearby car. But as for the Raven itself, it was nowhere to be found. When he neared the edge of the crater, the only logical explanation he could conjure was that 763-1 had indeed fallen underground.

He could still hear random outbursts of gunfire in the distance though it was nowhere near as frequent as he heard from the transmission with Nathan Jarva. The Gears there must have everything under control, at the very least detained.

"Whoa…" Dom whistled. He was looking down the massive hole, careful not to lose his footing. A few pebbles had been kicked over, plummeting to the unseen bottom of the giant hole.

"There is no way we can get down there without killing ourselves," Baird said, backing away. "I can't see a damn thing."

Cole walked a portion of the crater's perimeter. "This was no Corpser. This was something a hell of a lot bigger. No way in hell… whatever made this just made a Corpser look like a hermit crab."

Marcus frowned in disappointment, unwilling to lose hope this early in the game. He leaned over, trying to see if there was some way to climb down, but angles were too steep. Perhaps, only a skilled mountain climber could make that descent. His fingers touched his earpiece. "Control, we have a situation. We are unable to pursue Raven 763-1 from our current location. Please advise."

That inhuman voice answered back immediately. "That is unfortunate, sergeant. May I suggest searching for worm holes that may have not been closed up? My information shows there was a high level of Locust activity two blocks west of your position near the House of Sovereigns."

"Copy," Marcus said. He looked to his team still gawking at the abnormal crater. "Let's go, Delta," he ordered. "We have a small hike to make."

"Oh goody," Baird replied sarcastically.

Delta headed west, toward the back end of the House of Sovereigns. It hardly looked like the building he remembered months ago. It was run down even more than when he first saw it, and several points of the building had caved in. Half of the giant structure looked as though it was… sinking. "You guys know the drill," Marcus shouted over his shoulder. "We'll split up. Dom and I will head inside the building to search for any way to get underground. Baird, you and Cole, stay along the outskirts. You find anything, report it, ASAP."

"You got it, baby," Cole said, checking the ammo in his Lancer. Marcus and Dom headed straight for the House up the broken steps to the entrance, not looking back. "Just you and me again, huh?" he said to Baird.

Baird loaded a full clip into his Lancer and revved up the bayonet, testing its power. "What, you wanna hold hands?" he asked dryly. "Let's go. I don't want our guys waiting any longer than they have to."

He and Cole began checking every grub hole they could find. With each one that they found closed, the more irritation he felt growing in his chest. "Oh, cut me a freakin break!" he snapped when he found another enclosed hole. Regardless of how other people perceived him, he actually did give a shit about his comrades, about the people who were fighting for their lives. Stranded, COG… it didn't matter. Everyone was still human, and everyone was still fighting for survival. He would be the first to admit that Prescott's speeches were annoying, but the words rang true. This wasn't a war; it was an extinction, and currently they were the under dog.

He hated being given missions that revolved around retrieving human life. Give him an infiltration mission, or send him to a destination where he had to place a bomb. Those were all fine and dandy. But when it came to saving a life, that wasn't the type of clock ticking he liked to deal with. Namely because, the life you came to save had likely passed on already before you got there or they die while under your protection. No, he wasn't having any of that shit. He had gone through that one too many times, and he wasn't in favor of a second round. At least, he wasn't until now.

It was only because Marcus had shown priority in saving Hoffman and the others that he willingly went on this wild goose chase. Sure, he was a smart ass half the time, and he was cocky as all hell when he was upset, but he wasn't a heartless asshole. He had to hold his tongue the moment he heard that 763-1 had gone down. Baird knew he would have said something along the lines of "yeah, whoever was in that bird is royally fucked," but thankfully he didn't. He saw Marcus' expression change the moment the sergeant was told it was a Raven that carried a certain intelligence lieutenant.

Honestly, he was almost grateful to see Marcus give a damn about someone else other than his team. Delta was lucky just to have reliable soldiers, but there was a special bond they each shared with each other, so there was more than the obligatory concern for your teammate. To see Marcus bust his ass for someone he truly cared for was refreshing. There's nothing worse to see than a good soldier who fights only for the sake of killing. 'Well, I'll be damned, the man actually has a heart,' Baird thought to himself. Sure, he loathed Marcus the first time they met, but that was to be expected. Following Marcus made him see that perhaps he wasn't cut out to lead Delta after all. Who knew he could learn to respect the former prisoner. He still wanted his own squad, but for now, he would willingly follow the Delta leader.

He heard the sergeant's voice in his ears. "Baird, any luck?" came Marcus' voice.

Baird stepped around the fourth grub hole he and Cole came across. Much to his dismay, it was closed. Not even a mouse could get through. "Nothing yet, boss man," he said with genuine regret.

"We may have something, but we gotta check it out first. Looks like a steep tunnel in the center of the building. I'll keep you posted. Marcus, out."

Baird wiped the sweat from the back of his neck. Going from a freezing climate to a warmer one in a matter of minutes was exhausting for the body. Bad enough they had to haul around forty pound weapons in heavy cased armor, but here he was running around going against time. It was absolutely draining.

"Hey, Baird, check this out!" he heard Cole call to him. The ex football player was kneeling by a turned over dumpster that was surrounded by pieces of a Locust drone's torso, arms, and legs. Seeing the enemy in any form of mangled state always brought a little satisfaction to him.

Baird felt his shoulders slack when he saw no grub hole. "Dude, we're looking for a hole in the ground, not something in the trash…" he trailed off when he saw Cole pick up a necklace from a pool of blood, holding it up for him to see. _Shit…_ _COG tags._ Baird's eyes widened in surprise when he read the name.

_Colonel Victor Hoffman_

_ID: 20-332-WHPE_

_Double shit. _

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Not familiar with the format of tags. I just smacked the keyboard a few times, and voila. I may or may not have Baird down, but this is how I see him. That and he's just damn fun to write. Till next time.

Kris


	3. Familiarities

Marcus' feet landed on a stable incline. He had only jumped down a couple feet, but the uneven tunnel had various rocky slopes before it evened out. Even though it wouldn't be a completely straight plummet to the bottom, there were jagged edges that could easily cut into a human body, Gears armor or not. "How you holding up?" Dom asked from above. Luckily, the ceiling to the House of Sovereigns had been busted open by God knows what, so there was a significant amount of light shining down, giving him a lighted path.

"So far so good," he answered. He grabbed hold of a nearby crevice, balancing his weight so that he could take another step down. It wasn't until he had descended a few more feet that he heard Baird' urgent voice.

"Marcus, man, you're not going to believe this shit."

Marcus groaned, irritated that his concentration had been interrupted. He found another ledge of solid footing before he answered. "Not now, Baird," he warned.

But Baird's voice came back relentless. "No, you don't understand, man. We just found Hoffman's tags… with no Hoffman."

"What?" Marcus snapped, almost losing his balance. That statement brought a lot of things to light, but it was a lot of things he didn't want to accept. Hoffman may have been one of the biggest jerk offs on the planet, but he knew how to take care of himself in battle. The man was damn near unstoppable once he was in his A game. Could it be that the colonel was dead? Could Anya-

Again, his thoughts were broken into, but this time by their unknown "friend." The voice was monotone, void of expression and pitch. "Based on the samples that I have received from Damon Baird, I can tell you that the blood found on Colonel Hoffman's tags are not his own."

"That still doesn't tell us if he's alive or not," Baird's static voice countered. "So how are we sure that it's even worth going down into this hell to look for them?"

"As I have expressed," the voice continued, hardly fazed by Baird's attitude. "The main objective is to retrieve the data that 763-1 was carrying. I am sorry, but the survivors are only second priority."

"You smug son of a b-"

"That's enough Baird," Marcus cut in. "I think I found a way down here, so get your asses inside the House center." This was the wrong time to argue with control, but he knew where Baird was coming from. The voice was so different than Anya's. It wasn't just the tone of voice that was irritating, it was its disregard for human life. Anya had expressed before that she had felt guilty that she was within secure walls while the Gears were on the field literally in the middle of the war. She had surrendered her whole being to the military, being the guide and support for Delta, sacrificing meal after meal and hours of sleep to be there for those who needed her. It was that mentality that showed him, she was indeed fit to be a soldier.

Above, he heard Dom making his descent down into the tunnel. "Careful where you start kicking shit," Marcus said, seeing a fist sized rock fly passed his head. He glanced down over his shoulder, seeing a sturdy slope that lead down into the rest of the tunnel. "About damn time…"

According to control, they would have to head back east in order to find 763-1's crash site. Part of him wanted to get there as soon as possible, but another wanted him to stay away, far away. As much as he wanted to find 763-1's survivors alive and well, war had taught him never to fully place a large amount of faith in that type of hope. The majority of time, you will only be disappointed. He heard Dom sliding down the edges of the tunnel, making excellent progress to the bottom. Marcus felt a twinge of guilt.

Many times, he had caught Dom looking at a picture of his wife Maria. Until now, Marcus never fully understood why Dom pushed himself so hard to track her down. There were several occasions where Marcus just wanted to tell his friend to let go, that his wife was lost. How could he possibly find one person in all of Sera when there was a war being fought not only on the surface, but underground as well? That doubled the hardship of finding her. But still, Dom persisted. Maybe it was karma. The panic Marcus now felt for Anya's safety was his punishment for doubting Dom's battle to be reunited with Maria.

Marcus finally found solid ground to walk on. "Baird, Cole, what's your status?"

This time he heard Cole's voice. "We're almost there. Had to take care of some grubs along the way, but we can see the entrance to the tunnel. You and Dom already down there?"

"Yeah," Marcus said. Dom had jumped down beside him, readying his Lancer. "You guys catch up when you can. Dom and I are gonna clear a path. Marcus, out." He took point, keeping his eyes peeled. There were so many things that bugged him about this mission, but orders be damned, in his mind, rescuing survivors was first. What kind of reputation would he have if he started obeying direct orders now?

"Don't worry, Marcus, we'll fine them," Dom assured. He didn't know if Dom was trying to be encouraging or if he was lying through his teeth to ease the tension, but regardless, it didn't help. They continued down the murky tunnel; the farther they went the more humid and wet the atmosphere turned. Above all else, it smelled horrible. It wasn't an ancient smell, or even an earthy fragrance, the entire tunnel smelled like death itself.

Over the years, Marcus had fought in countless battles against the horde, so it was a no brainer that he became desensitized to a lot of things. He didn't flinch when he saw a Locust's head blown clean off, he didn't mind using the Lancer's bayonet to get up close and personal with a Wretch. At first, he found it odd that even seeing human remains didn't quite faze him. Despite all of that, the one thing he could never get over was the smell of the death that surrounded him. The day the smell didn't bother him anymore, he decided, was the day he truly stepped beyond being human.

"Ah shit," Marcus spat. The path split into two separate tunnels; the left looked more inviting. The air was cleaner. Which one to take… eeny meeny meiny mo…

"We could wait for Baird and Cole-" Dom started, but was cut off by a chilling scream. It didn't belong to Locust or an adult human, it as a child. "Right path!" he shouted, and took off.

"Shit, Baird, Cole, there's a fork in the tunnel, and we're going south!" Marcus yelled into his earpiece. "There are Stranded down here. I think we heard a fucking kid!" He didn't wait for a response, and sprinted after Dom. The screams were getting more frantic, and the closer they came, the more voices they could hear. There were shouts of terror, and women crying out for help. He could hear people being slaughtered and torn down.

"Humanssss," hissed a voice. "Take themsss."

Marcus and Dom broke out into a full run, and it didn't take them long before they found a large cavern covered in dripping stalactites and gaping stalagmites. Several Locust drones were heading toward a small crowd of Stranded. They cowered away, but they were trapped between the large stone pillars of the cavern. "Hey, asshole!" Marcus shouted, successfully gaining the Locusts' attention. He took aim, and fired, covering a drone's head in bullet holes.

"Gearssss!" cried one of the other drones. The entire Locust raid was now focused on him and Dom, just the way he wanted. In his periph, Marcus saw the Stranded group inching away from the fight, the children cowering in the arms of their parents.

A Wretch dropped down next to him, knocking him off his feet. He kicked at its face, keeping the gnawing teeth away from his flesh. It bit at him, and sparks were sent flying when it began clawing at his armor. He revved up the Lancer and sliced away at its body, ignoring the blood that splattered onto his face. "Dom, we got Wretches!" he yelled, getting back on his feet.

"I see 'em!" Dom shouted back. He took cover behind a pillar, aiming high above them, shooting down the Wretches that were climbing overhead. "Got one!" They fell easily, but it was difficult to determine where they were coming from. It looked like they were leeching through the nooks and cracks of the cavern walls.

Many of the drones were walking to the group of Stranded. Marcus fired at the stalactites above a group of drones, aiming at the joints of the most fragile stone spears. He dove out of the way when several came crashing down, crushing the bodies of the Locust drones. In the back of his mind, he wondered why they were attempting to take humans hostage instead of terminating them where they stood, but he would revisit that theory later. When all the drones were down, he turned to Dom. "What do you got?" he shouted.

"Just one more Wretch," his comrade said. Dom was taking aim, careful not to miss his target, but his expression quickly turned to worry as he lifted his head from the scope of his rifle. "Oh, kid- no, no, no, no!" he yelled.

A child, around seven years of age, was hurling rocks at the Wretch. "Go away!" he screamed. He picked up a larger rock and threw it at the Wretch's head. The creature hissed in anger, and turned its attention on the boy, letting out an enraged cry, bearing its long fangs and claws. The cavern was filled with the terror-stricken cries from a woman, but the rest of the Stranded held her back.

"No! My baby!" she screamed, fighting off the men who contained her. "Peter!"

Marcus jumped over the bodies that littered the floor, running with all of his might to reach the child before the Wretch did, but he was too far away. He couldn't fire upon the Wretch without risking the life of the boy as he was directly behind the Wretch. One stray bullet could hit the kid and kill him. "Fuck!" he cursed. "Kid, run!" He swung his arm out, hoping that the boy would read his body, but he remained stationary, floored by sheer horror.

"Get out of the way!" Dom barked, trying to get a clear shot.

The Wretch pounced, intent on tearing the boy to shreds. "No!" Marcus screamed, envisioning the beast ripping the boy limb from limb.

Three loud gunshots echoed throughout the cavern. The Wretch's body convulsed when the bullets entered its body, going limp in midair. It fell roughly on the ground, dead, blood dripping from its mouth. The boy buried his face in his hands and fell to the ground crying.

Marcus halted when he saw two Gears running up, one held a pistol firmly in his grip, and the other knelt by the boy, picking him up, and cradled him in his arms. Both Gears wore the standard issued helmet, but the armed soldier was smaller in stature, reminding Marcus of another soldier that used to be part of his team. He and Dom walked up to the Gears while the mother of the boy wrapped her arms around her son's savior. "Oh, thank God!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. The Gear let the mother take the boy from his arms, and she kissed the child's face multiple times. "Thank you, soldier, thank you," she repeated, before joining the other Stranded.

"Nice work," Marcus commented to the shooter. His heart was beating rapidly, but it was beginning to slow. "Marcus Fenix, Delta Squad."

Dom caught up to them, and shouldered his Lancer, admiring the handy work of the shooter. "Dom Santiago," he introduced. "Also Delta." He held out his fist to the first Gear in greeting. He smiled when the Gear did the same, smacking their fists together .

The bigger Gear took off his helmet and saluted Marcus. "A pleasure, sergeant," he said. The man was probably around his mid thirties, short blond hair. He had several scars on his face, and Marcus could see the beginnings of a tattoo at the base of his neck. "Omega Squad. Private Edward Dorne."

Marcus nodded and looked to the other Gear. "Nice shooting," he said. "Not too many are that deadly with a pistol."

"Sir," the Gear greeted. "Also Omega Squad." He took off his helmet, and shook Marcus' hand rather than salute him. He was a bit younger than Edward, and he had darker hair, but Marcus could easily see he wasn't a rookie in battle. The Gear kept his head down as though he was searching for the right choice of words to say next. There seemed to be something he wanted to say to Marcus.

"Something wrong, soldier?" Marcus asked.

"Well, sir," the Gear began, but at the last moment, he veered off into another sentence. "Sir, we and one other Gear were on board the King Raven 763-1."

Marcus felt the blood rushing through his veins. So there were survivors. "What about the others? Did Colonel Hoffman and Lieutenant Stroud survive?"

Dorne shrugged his shoulders. "We were thrown from the bird right before she landed in a lake. I'd say it's about a mile or two from here. We went searching for them, but we didn't find anyone. We'd actually still be down there, but control has given us direct orders to return to the control tower for processing. When we refused initially, control had said reinforcements were on the way."

Marcus sighed, this day was just full of disappointment. He heard Baird and Cole jogging up to them. "Oh man, we missed all the fun!" Cole said, surveying the bodies around them.

"Took you guys long enough," Dom sighed. He turned to the second Omega soldier. "What about the materials that were in the King Raven? We were sent down here to retrieve whatever it was that she was carrying."

The smaller Gear held up his arm, and detached a small terminal from his armor. It resembled Baird's but it was much smaller, almost as if it was meant to be overlooked. "This is only half of the data we have on the Locusts," he said. "Lieutenant Stroud kept the other half in case either of us were captured by the Locusts. We didn't think we would have been attacked in the air…"

"Haven't you ever seen a Reaver before kid?" Baird asked, brow raised. "They're made for taking down our choppers."

Dorne shook his head, politely contradicting Baird. "No, we were in flight, and a Reaver flew by, but the riders physically jumped into the Raven. They held Lieutenant Stroud at gunpoint demanding the data we've collected. Colonel Hoffman ambushed one of the riders, while we took care of the others, but we were also hit by something from below. It was pretty fucking big."

"Don't remember much… it all happened so fast. But before we hit ground, couple of the riders, were thrown from the Raven. The Colonel and lieutenant were also thrown before we hit water. After that, Dorne and I swam to the surface," finished the other Gear. He rubbed the back of his head, wincing as he did so. "Suffered from one hell of a concussion, but I'll live."

Marcus tried to picture the events as Omega explained them. It wasn't hard to believe that Hoffman's tags were ripped from him while he was grappling with the riders. So it was probable that he was still alive. Before he could make a decision about Anya, control joined in.

"Excellent work, Omega. If you would please, continue on your mission to transport the data to the control tower. Hostiles have been neutralized on the surface above your position. Sergeant Fenix, continue your search for Miss Anya. Her whereabouts are extremely vital to this mission."

Dom, Baird, and Cole gave him a questioning look, with Dom mouthing '_Miss Anya?_' to Marcus, but the Delta leader barked out orders. "All right, Omega, travel down this tunnel heading north. Take them with you," he gestured toward the Stranded who still huddled in a corner. "You should come up right below the House of Sovereigns. We'll keep looking Hoffman, Anya, and the other Gear."

"You got it, sir," Dorne said, putting his helmet back on. He walked over to the crowd of people, and began telling them about their plan to relocate them. Many were willing to go back to the surface since they witnessed how the Gears had defended them.

"Man…" said Cole. "Ain't this some shit?"

"Whatever this special data is, it better be god damned worth it," added Baird. He wiped his mouth and spit on the dead carcass of a drone.

Omega began to make their way to the exit of the cavern, but Marcus stopped the second squad member he didn't get a name from. "Hey Omega," he called. "You got a name?"

The Gear stopped and slowly turned to Marcus. He placed his fingers at his temple in salute. "It's Carmine, sir. Clay Carmine." He turned back again after Marcus returned the salute, and joined Dorne and the Stranded to prepare evacuation of the underground cavern.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I have definitely no clue what Clay's true role will be in the game, but I wanted to have someone from the Carmine family in this fic. Short lived, I know, but a cameo appearance is never a bad thing, especially since there seems to be a high level of praise for the Carmine brothers.

Kris


	4. Orders are sometimes like promises

With a quick twist clockwise, the bones in the Theron Guard's neck snapped, causing the body to crumple to the mossy ground. Colonel Victor Hoffman quietly relieved the locust guard of its weapons, checking the functionality of the Hammerburst Assault Rifle. It was no Lancer, but it would have to do. He wasn't in a position to get picky. Surrounded by humanoid abominations, armed with only a single weapon, and without support, Hoffman considered his chances of survival. One slip up, and he was royally screwed.

His vision blurred when another dizzy spell hit him. Shaking his head, he attempted to clear his sight. He had ripped off the sleeve of his uniform that had been partly torn off and wrapped it around his head. Within minutes, it was soaked in blood. His whole body was shocked by flashes of pain whenever his torso twisted or turned sharply. If he didn't find help, a Locust would either end his life or he would probably bleed to death from internal injury.

He kept his head low, slowly ducking and crouching behind pillars and boulders, taking care not to make a single sound that would alarm the Locusts of his presence. His radio had gone out, smashed and destroyed when they went down, and he had know way of knowing if Stroud and the other Gears were alive. The only thing certain was that the data he carried was still safe and secure, for now. He stared down at the giant lake several levels below him once more. In the center, tail up, was 763-1. It had taken quite a beating, and it was a miracle he was alive.

The enormous hole they had been pulled through made 763-1 look like a small toy in comparison to size. They had gone through several levels of strata, that much he remembered. Something had pierced through the sides of the Raven, grabbing hold of it, and pulled. From the first level of earth they hit, 763-1 was thrown around like a ragdoll, and that was when he lost Stroud and Private Marsh. They were again pulled under, he remembered, flying out of the Raven, thrown against solid rock. He kept his breaths short, sure that he had broken a couple ribs.

When he came to, he looked down the hollow, but saw no signs of life or of the monster they had come across. He almost cursed up a storm when he thought of Stroud, Dorne, Marsh, and Carmine. It only took seconds. It took less than a minute to bring down the carrier and lose his entire team. His blood boiled when knew that the Locusts didn't care how many were of theirs were killed, only that the mass survived. But it didn't work like that with humans. Every life was precious, every life meant something.

Flashes of the ambush ran through his mind. Somehow, those bastards knew who Stroud was and how important she was. They targeted her first, assuming she carried the collection of data she and a few others have managed to gather over the last couple months. Smart girl. She had secretly given Hoffman the real data disk, in hopes to lure the Locusts away from the sensitive material.

"I need to take the extra precaution, Colonel," Stroud had said, handing him the disk. "We cannot take the risk of losing this data, so I will be the diversion." Worked like a charm, but what was the cost?

He knelt when he heard another group of drones marching nearby. Jesus, they were everywhere. He had no choice but to wait despite his desire to rid the entire Hollow of them. Who did those sons of bitches think they are? Locusts were fragile beings, easily taken down by bullets and missiles, but it was the sheer number of them that was so overpowering. They were like insects, coming at them from every angle. Even when the war dragged on, they still didn't know what the horde's goals were.

He wiped the sweat and blood from his face, thinking about the best course of action to take. Other than a goal of making an ascent toward the surface, he was without direction. The only thing he could do was search for more COGs. 763-1 fell near the House of Sovereigns, and he knew for a fact that several squads had been dispatched underground in that area. Problem was getting to them. Maybe, going further down was best after all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They had journeyed deeper into the Hollow without interruption, and Marcus wasn't so sure that was a good thing. It was uncomfortably quiet. They jumped down a steep ledge and continued into the outskirts of a crater like pit. "Ah, shit," Marcus sighed when they came upon a bloody battlefield. One glance around the area told him that the COGs lost this one. Many soldiers were sprawled around, covered in their own blood, completely motionless. "Check to see if anyone is still alive," he ordered. This wasn't just a fight that was lost, it was a massacre.

Human limbs had been blown off, and headless bodies lay everywhere. A sick layer of red covered the grounds of the pit they had stumbled upon. Each step he took caused his boots to stick to the ground. All of these soldiers, and only a few Locusts corpses were killed in comparison.

"Damn," Cole said, veering off to the right. "Didn't look like they even had a chance."

Baird knelt to check a Gear's pulse, but after a moment he shook his head. "Nothing," he gritted through his teeth, snapping off the soldier's tags. He jumped over to another body, and swore when he found the same result. "This is some bullshit," he said when he observed the marking on the second pair of tags. "Only twenty-two fucking years old."

Dom couldn't help the heavy burden he felt in his heart. Each body he checked was lifeless, cold and pale. '_And young_,' he thought sadly. His eyes traveled over the small body, wincing when he saw the numerous wounds that the boy's life poured from. He pulled a clip from a bloodied Lancer, frowning. The kid wasn't even able to get a shot off before he was gunned down; the clip was full. "We should probably stock up on ammo," Dom said, but his voice was soft, drowned in regret. The worst thing about picking up supplies from the dead was looking at their faces, their eyes. It would take more than what Dom had to offer to avenge the innocent lives that were lost, but he would try his damnedest to ensure their lives weren't wasted. He made it a point that for every downed soldier he saw, he would take out two more grubs.

"Got a live one!" Marcus cried out. Dom was on his feet, hurrying to Marcus as was Baird and Cole. He saw Marcus huddled over a shaking body; he could hear the soldier's raspy breaths in between gurgled gasps. "Keep it together, soldier," Marcus ordered.

One look at the man, and Dom knew he wasn't going to make it. "G-good…" the older man stuttered. He must have been this squad's CO; he was at least a decade older than Marcus and himself. "Good to know someone m-made it," he choked. Even with medical personnel tending to him, the man's body suffered such serious injuries, he didn't have a snowball's chance. His Gears armor was shredded, as if his own Lancer had been used against him. But several grubs lay dead next to him. Few were sprayed with bullet holes, and one had its throat slashed opened.

Dom knelt down, placing his hand on a bloody shoulder. "You did good, soldier," he smiled encouragingly. He knew it himself that his own smile wavered. It as always difficult to see someone die in front of you.

"Don't look so sad, boy," the soldier coughed. "I get to be with my family again. Sent some of those fuckers to hell," he inhaled sharply, pain wracked across his face, "and now I can be with my wife and kid in heaven. T-there isn't a happier ending to this old man's life…"

All Dom could do was nod. Slowly, he wrapped his fingers around the chain to the COG tags and pulled. "Take it easy, Gordon," he said after looking at the metal plates, and saluted the man.

"D-did she make it?"

Marcus' eyes widened. He bent forward, not wanting to miss a single word. "Who?" he asked, urgently.

"Pretty girl… blond…" whispered the lieutenant. "Told her to run when they came…"

_Anya_. Marcus felt his heart beating against his chest in earnest. It was the best news he had heard since they were sent here. The lieutenant coughed up more blood, resting his head against Marcus' arm. "Gave her my pistol. Good shot… ran west… you take care of her, boy," he said, looking Marcus straight in the eye. Even on his dying breath, Marcus could see a glimmer of hope in the lieutenant's gaze. How he could be so hopeful in spite of the state he was in, Marcus couldn't fathom. Shortly after, the old man's eyes rolled back, and his chest let out a final breath.

Marcus gently placed Lieutenant Gordon's head on the rocky ground, his hate for the Locust horde growing stronger. For the longest time, he tried to alienate himself from his comrades. Seeing his friends die around him had turned him into a hateful man. But slowly over time, he began to transform that hate into an energy he could effectively use against his enemies. He was still torn whenever he saw a fellow COG die in his arms, that feeling could never go away. He wouldn't let it.

He stood and took a deep breath. "Delta, we're heading west." A deep silence followed.

"Movement!" Baird hissed suddenly, aiming his Lancer behind them. He kept his voice hushed, but there was no mistaking the urgency in his voice. Each of them took position, Marcus signaling that he and Dom would flank left, and Cole and Baird to cover them.

Keeping quiet, he and Dom quickly hid behind a large wall of stone. When they began to move further, he heard footsteps, soft shuffling falls like something was being dragged. He crouched down and hugged the wall, moving slowly. The steps were coming closer, but Baird motioned that he didn't have visual.

Marcus nearly held his breath, straining to hear any hint as to what they were dealing with. The problem was, every step he heard was light. Locusts were many things, but they were hardly stealthy. Much to their advantage, he could only hear one pair of footsteps. This was going to be easy and fast. He nodded upward, motioning toward Dom.

Dom nodded that he understood; screw stealth, they were going to take this one by surprise. Before it even registers what's going on, it'll be dead. Marcus held up one finger, then a second... when the third went up, he and Dom stood and aimed. "Eat lead!" he yelled, ready to kill.

But what he saw wasn't a guard or a drone; it wasn't even from the Locust horde. He kept his finger off the trigger, the adrenaline causing his body to break out in a cold sweat. If his reflexes didn't kick into overdrive, he would have shot a fellow human being. "Cease fire!" he shouted to Dom, his voice boomed throughout the pit, hopefully reaching Baird and Cole.

A few rounds had been fire off by Dom, but luckily they went wide, completely missing the target. Apparently, he had seen the target as well, and turned at the last moment. "Holy shit," Dom said in disbelief, slowly lowering his Lancer. "Colonel..."

Sure enough, Colonel Hoffman was standing before them, also lowering his weapon. "Well, I'll be damned," he wheezed.

"Sir!" Dom said in alarm, rushing to his side. Hoffman pushed Dom away, indicating that he could stand on his own two feet, but from the look of it, even he didn't seem confident in his physical limitation. He was heavily favoring his left leg.

Marcus had to admit, the colonel looked like shit. "Sir, it's good to see you alive," he said. He hated the man sure enough. It wasn't a secret to anyone that the two men highly disliked each other. The colonel went out of his way to rip Marcus and his team a new one whenever he could, but it was true that seeing him alive offered some relief.

"That's enough, Fenix," Hoffman said. "We gotta get back up top."

Marcus frowned, "sir, we were sent by control to retrieve something that Anya kept with her-"

"I have it, Fenix," Hoffman said in irritation. He pulled a disk from his uniform pocket, holding it out for him and Dom to see. "This contains the exact location and layout of Nexus, the Locust capital. As you probably already heard, this is only half the data. So unless this finds it counterpart, it's next to useless."

"What about Anya?" Marcus asked. They couldn't just leave her to fend for herself down here.

Hoffman looked at him long and hard, narrowing his eyes. "As much as I hate to say it, she's probably dead, Fenix." His voice was harsh, but Marcus could make out the regret in the tone. Anyone who worked with Anya would agree that she was more than exceptional at her job. She was a one woman army when it came to offering support and aid.

Before he could retaliate, control spoke into his ear. "The survival chance of a civilian being this deep down into the Hollow and also taking into consideration the amount of time that has passed by since the mayday call, Miss Anya has a 19% chance of survival," control said.

"That doesn't mean a damn thing!" Marcus snapped. "Sir," he growled, "a Lieutenant Gordon has confirmed that Anya is alive, and I have every intention of finding her."

"Sergeant Fenix, I must remind you of your primary objective," the voice said. "Your new mission is to escort the data to the surface and rendezvous with a Raven for extraction." There was a small pause. "I am sorry, sergeant, but I have my orders... Miss Anya would have wanted you to follow them as well."

_Now_ the damn thing shows some form of concern for something other than the freaking mission. Baird and Cole walked up, their expressions were also grim, unhappy about the recent turn of events. Marcus had already made his decision, and backing out wasn't part of it. "Baird, you and Cole escort the colonel back the way we came."

Hoffman fumed. "Now, see here sergeant," he said slowly, wanting Marcus to hear every word. "I will need all the support I can get. I want you and Dom by my side as well."

"Baird and Cole are more than capable of protecting you and the disk," Marcus countered. "I'm going to find Lieutenant Stroud whether you and the orders like it or not. She's... she's a part of this team too. I'm not going to just give up on her and throw her to the wolves."

"You have your orders-"

Marcus looked at Hoffman straight in his eyes. He was known for disobeying orders, he had a prison record to prove it. Why should he change now? "Excuse me for saying so, _sir_," he said. "But fuck you and your orders."


	5. Soldier Till the End

No amount of training or preparation could have kept Anya from feeling the horror that shot through her body. The scene she saw before her, paralyzed her, making her feel helpless. The screams that traveled through her ears and lingered in her mind refused to be silenced. '_How could they?'_ she thought, unable to look away from the massacre. The slaughter that happened barely a few yards from her turned her body to stone. No matter how much she longed to help, she couldn't move. Bullets went flying over her, sticking in the wall she was crouching into. It wasn't until she heard Gordon's commanding voice that she snapped out of her shock..

"Get the hell out of here!" he screamed, loud enough for everyone to hear, but she knew it was directed to her. He had taken his Lancer and swung, slicing though a drone's neck before they took him down.

Gathering her thoughts, she took three deep breaths and forced herself to her feet. Her legs wobbled beneath her, but she steadied herself then took off. A drone stood in her way, but two shots to its temple, and it fell to the ground. Once the first shot was taken, her combat training began to kick in. She took in her surroundings, paying attention to anything that may either help her or guide her. Her heart was racing, and her muscles were screaming for her to rest, but she run as fast as she could. She didn't know how long she ran, but the pain in her body began to slow her down. The worst part was that she didn't allow herself to look back. Allowing distraction could get you killed early. It didn't sound like she was being followed. Trying to hear if anything was following her made her slow her pace.

Total silence made her stop.

There wasn't one scream, not one gunshot. No echoes, nothing. Were they all dead? All she heard was a drop of water plummet into a small puddle. Little rivers of water were sliding down the stalactites above her creating various puddles all around. When her head stopped pounding, the falling droplets were more prominent. She was all alone now. Nestling in a large crevice she found in a cavern wall, she sat down and brought her knees to her chin, hissing at the painful shock she received from her aching chest and ribs. Everything had happened so quickly. She didn't think it would end like this.

It wasn't that she firmly believed she had a bright future with a happy ending ahead of her, but she didn't think she would be alone, not like this. Her only satisfaction was with the data disks that Colonel Hoffman and Clay Carmine carried. She prayed and hoped that they made it. Even with death staring down at her, she was willing to stare directly back because she played a part in the Locusts' destruction. She could accept the fact that she would die down here. Only one thing nipped at her subconscious.

Her fingers wrapped around her COG tags. There was no way to deliver them to him. It would be a miracle if anyone found her body here in this exact spot. She would probably be crushed by the numerous cave ins once the Lightmass Bomb was detonated. No one would be able to find a single piece of her. She shook her head, angry at herself. No... she had to let go of the physical components. There was something that ran much deeper than an exchange of metal plates. It was a promise and of it being returned that filled her with a happiness she didn't she could find in these dark times.

Marcus Fenix respected and trusted her enough to be the bearer of his tags in case he was KIA. That alone was enough for her. She didn't have much at all in the way of family, and she knew that neither did he. Delta was the closest thing she had to family since hers had been taken from her in the Pendulum Wars. Since then, she dedicated all the energy and time she had in taking the Locusts down. She just wished she could see Nexus turned into ruins. That would have been a sight.

She looked over herself, wondering if she could even recognize her own image in a mirror. Her hair was matted down in sweat and blood, her face burned from all the scratches and cuts she received from being thrown around in the Raven. There was a deep gash in her side that had bled straight through her uniform. Somehow, they were flung from the Raven, landing on the mossy banks of a huge lake. All she remembered were Marsh's screams of agony before she blacked out. When she came to, she found Marsh's mangled body, broken and torn from the torso. That image was burned into her memory. His weapons were gone, and his armor had been easily torn into. Her eyes ran over the surface of the lake, and she backed away slowly, hoping not to disturb the beast underneath.

In the back of her mind, she only knew that she had to keep moving. It was by sheer dumb luck that she found Gordon and his squad. They patched her up as best as they could, and she managed to find about an hour of rest. And then, they were ambushed by those hellish creatures.

Her head fell back on the cold stone wall; her arms began to fall limp. It was only a matter of time before she was either found or she decided to end her own life. Her fingers gripped Gordon's pistol gently. She only had three shots left, but if it came down to it, only one would be needed.

She heard something move, followed by a beeping sound. Suddenly, the stone beside her exploded into rubble and dust. The impact threw her on her side, and she cried out in pain.

She heard the echo of a low rough chuckle. Scrambling to her feet, she limped away, barely registering the sound of a single bullet penetrate the area of the wall she passed. They were toying with her. There was no way she could take out hunters armed with a torque bow and a sniper rifle. She didn't even have the slightest clue where they were hidden. She was disoriented and tired, hardly able to keep her thoughts focused. She heard more footsteps running toward her location. This was it. Looked like she'd be needing all three bullets after all.

They circled around her like vultures, speaking to each other in words she couldn't understand. She stood her ground, her grip on the pistol became tighter. Her whole body began to shake, but from fear or the rush of adrenaline, she didn't know. There were many things she wanted to say to Delta's squad leader, but oddly enough, she felt no regret. She just knew that with her death, she didn't want to be seeing him in the afterlife any time soon. He was too valuable a soldier. Without another thought, she raised her arm and put a hole through the head of the drone closest to her. The group of Locusts hissed in anger and aimed their weapons at her. She turned quickly and took aim once more, taking down one more.

She felt something pinch her. When she looked down she saw a red spot that began growing larger and larger by the second. She felt her body falling, landing roughly on the ground, her right arm went limp. The pistol was kicked from her grasp, and now she was staring blankly at the Locust's eyes that hovered above her. A rifle was aimed at her forehead. Death was ugly, but it had never been more inviting. Her vision blurred, and she felt a wet liquid spreading through her shirt. She felt vibrations all around her, and she could hear something in the distance. The pain she felt was beginning to numb her senses. '_Think of something happy...'_ she thought, feeling her eyes flutter closed. _'Something that you wouldn't mind being your last thought while you're here in this world...'_

She imagined Marcus kneeling by her, picking her up, holding her in his strong arms. His strength alone offered her a sanctuary that she never found in the control tower. He touched her cheek lightly, and when she would open her eyes, she imagined seeing a warm expression on his face. He pressed his forehead to hers, trying to comfort her, running his palm over her brow. Her lips turned up into a small smile when he said her name. That was what she loved most about their transmissions. It was never "Lieutenant Stroud" or "Ms Stroud." He always called her Anya.

She said his name, but she wasn't sure if her lips were moving. As morbid as it seemed, she didn't mind dying in his arms. She wasn't alone. There was a calm soothing peace that she now felt, and she felt herself begin to let go. The thoughts she put into her imaginary world began to slip from her mind. '_Goodbye, Marcus,'_ she thought when his image began to fade.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

Ok, I wasn't going to really write it out this way originally but it fit. There are small references to another fic I wrote called "Solace." It's not a huge deal if you didn't read it, but the source to the references of the COG tags can be found there. Also, I do not know of Anya's past. I'm making this up as I go. With that being said, hope you enjoyed this one.

Kris


	6. Savior

Hoffman stumbled forward unintentionally holding onto Cole for balance. The former thrashball player steadied the colonel, allowing him to shift some of his weight onto his arm. "You all right, sir?" Cole asked, voice low and hushed. They were heading back to the House of Sovereigns, and they haven't encountered any Locust activity, but the creatures were still around, still lurking through the tunnels of the Hollow.

"I'm fine," Hoffman breathed, catching his breath. He steadied himself and began walking forward on his own. "Never better."

Baird snorted, but kept his mouth shut. He just checked over his shoulder every now and then to make sure they weren't being followed. Cole was being extra careful to keep his steps light. It was eerie being on a rescue mission. Sure, they had to protect JACK whenever he was hacking into an interface and stealing data, but the little guy had a cloaking feature whenever he was done and they were out shooting up everything. Hoffman didn't.

So far they haven't come across anything that would cause them harm except for a few random earthquakes. Cole felt the earth shift beneath his feet. Rocks and pebbles came raining down on them in light showers. "That can't be natural..." he said when the tremors stopped.

"Yeah, shifting plates my ass," Baird followed. "There's only a few places on Sera that have earthquakes, and this ain't one of them."

"Keep your voices down," Hoffman ordered, steadying himself as they began to walk up an incline.

Cole nodded, and kept one step behind the colonel in case he were to collapse. He studied the back of Hoffman's shaky form; he wasn't sure if he liked the colonel or not. He thought honest to God, the colonel and Marcus were going to have a throw down when Marcus told him to basically piss off. He remembered Dom, Baird, and himself had taken a step forward, ready to pull the two feuding soldiers away from each other in case a punch was thrown. Surprisingly, Hoffman backed down. He didn't say a word to Marcus. All he did was ask that he and Baird escort him to the surface and that was it.

Almost everyone knew about Marcus' habit of being ordered to do something and then doing the complete opposite. Truth be told though, Marcus only genuinely disobeyed orders once. Damn near everyone disagreed with the sentence that was issued to him. Since Cole had been a member of Delta, he hadn't seen Marcus disobey orders once, albeit, he did get creative sometimes trying to carry them out.

"Excuse me for saying, sir," Cole started. Hoffman grunted in reply, and Cole took it as a sign that he was given permission to speak further. "Now I don't know if our opinions matter much to you higher ranks, but I don't believe you should reprimand Marcus for making the decision to save Lieutenant Stroud."

Hoffman stopped and turned to face Cole. Baird whistled, resting his Lancer on his shoulder. "The Cole Train picking a fight with the colonel? This'll be interesting."

Hoffman didn't appear condescending, but there was no way to tell what he was thinking. "Oh? Enlighten me private."

Cole knew that he came across as the "guns a blazing" soldier in Delta squad, and there were many times that he preferred to be viewed that way. He personally believed it hyped up the rest of the team, a little trick he developed in his thrashball days. Only now, the only type of goal he was trying to score was wiping out every Locust that stood in his way. But if his teammate took a hit, he knew it affected the whole team. He was all about being a team player. He probably wouldn't admit it just yet, but he deeply respected Marcus and his squad. Since the day they saved him and Alpha members merged with Delta, he had to give Marcus props for going through all the bullshit, and still willing to fight for the COGs.

"Sir, we're in a war, and we need something to fight for. Sometimes, Prescott's words aren't enough. A soldier needs something to keep him going. I didn't become #32 _the_ Cole Train just because I wanted to bust my ass for that goal, you know what I'm saying?" Cole said, pounding his fist on his chest. It felt awkward having Baird listening in on the conversation but what the hell. Better to get this stuff out now than never. He had his own set of issues he wanted to work out with Hoffman.

"Matter of fact, soldier, you're going to have to elaborate," Hoffman answered.

Cole sighed, shaking his head. "Sir, I became one of the best because I was playing my heart out for someone. I wanted to make them proud. Every game I played, I played for them. Even when I got knocked down, I got back on my feet and busted through anything they threw at me. You put a wall in my way, I'll knock it right the hell down. In a way, I think Marcus feels that way."

"How so?"

This time Baird stepped up, apparently unable to take anymore of Hoffman's ignorance. "Come on, are you kidding?" he asked with a scoffing laugh. "Think about it. His ass got thrown in jail because he went to go save his old man, right? What about now? You gonna make him serve another decade in prison because he wants to go save his girl? I'll tell ya, prison won't do shit. That's just the way he his. He'll keep on saving people he cares about. And when it comes down to orders on saving a piece of plastic when he could be saving a life, what do you think he's gonna pick?"

Hoffman looked like he was considering their words. He remained deep in thought, staring passed them, down the dark tunnel they had ascended. "I'll deal with Sergeant Fenix later," was all he said before continuing up the tunnel.

Cole glanced over to Baird, but all the blond soldier could do was shrug. "Not our fight, man," Baird said. He began following Hoffman up the slope. Half of Cole wanted to stay with Marcus and Dom. After all, when they first received the mayday call, saving the survivors was their intention. He hoped Marcus and Dom found Anya alive.

"See you up top," Cole spoke into the deep tunnel, knowing full well that the words wouldn't reach either of his comrades, but that didn't decrease his desire to see them alive later.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There was enough of a ruckus to distract the sniper, and it was those precious seconds that Marcus took advantage of. In fact, it almost seemed like the Locust guard was laughing after it had pulled the trigger on its rifle. With a solid kick to the back of its head, Marcus pinned down the Locusts by its neck, successfully crushing it under his boot. Dom gave him a thumbs up when he had taken out another guard armed with a torque bow. '_What were they aiming at?' _Marcus thought. He looked down to the lower level and saw a small group of Locusts hovering over a lone body. One drone had moved to the side, and Marcus could see a patch of blond hair.

Something in him snapped. He had no idea how many curses swam through his head when he broke out into a run, but he bet it was enough for his mother to beat him senseless a hundred times over. He heard Dom calling for him, but he forced his feet to move quicker. Marcus slid down a steep hill that lead straight to the lower levels, gunning for the Locust group. All rules of engagement and safety protocol were lost to him. All he could think about was getting to her.

He saw a drone aiming its rifle at her head, and that act alone made it his primary target. She was lying still, covered in blood. In the back of his mind he feared that he had come too late. Letting out an angered cry, he tackled the Locust that posed the greatest threat to Anya. The others shouted out in surprise, completely unsuspecting of the attack. Marcus and the drone landed on the ground, but before the drone could shake Marcus off, the Delta leader took his Lancer and landed blow after blow, crushing its skull in.

Marcus heard two shots fired, and the two drones closest to him fell down, one headless. He assumed Dom had manned the sniper rifle, and tried covering his reckless ass. Only two more drones stood, their attention completely forgotten on Anya. "This is the wrong day to fuck with me," Marcus growled. He aimed his Lancer and pulled the trigger, spraying the drones with countless bullets. The idea of ammo conservation was thrown out the window; he just wanted to make them pay. When his clip finally ran dry, all that was left were pieces of the drones' bodies.

He let out several shaky breaths and threw his Lancer aside, running to Anya. He dropped to his knees besides her and slowly picked her up, holding her as gently as he could. "Anya," he whispered. Her face was paling, and her body was cold. He was relieved when he felt a soft wisp of air exit from her nostrils. She was still breathing.

His first concern was the growing spot of blood on her side. "Shit... Dom!" he cried out. "Dom, she's hit!"

It was the first time since he joined this crazy war that he finally felt the fear of panic. He placed his forehead against hers, feeling close to helpless. "Hold on, Anya..." he said desperately. He pulled her up slowly, trying to see her backside. Dom came running up in a hurry. He knelt on the opposite side of Anya's body, lifting her shirt to see where the bullet had exited from.

"Looks like a clean shot straight through," Dom said. He took out a small knife and began carefully cutting the sleeves of her uniform off. "Marcus, keep pressure on her side for now. I don't think it hit vitals, but if we don't stop the flow of blood, she's gonna bleed out."

Marcus kept his hand over the wound while Dom began cutting off the other sleeve. "Marcus..." he heard from her lips. She didn't call out in question, it sounded more like she was saying goodbye. He used his other hand and stroked her hair, hoping that he was easing some of her pain.

"Anya," he said steadily. "Anya, it's me, Marcus. Come on, don't you quit on me now." The blood under his hand was still warm, and it sickened him. She shouldn't have even been in this position.

Much to his relief, her eyes fluttered open. They were tired and unfocused; her eyebrows came down as she grimaced in pain. "Anya, try not to move," he said, allowing her to place all her weight on his forearm.

This time when her eyes opened, her gaze traveled over his face. "Is it really you?" she managed to say. She tried raising her hand to his face, but Marcus bent down instead, meeting her halfway, placing his cheek in her palm.

"In the flesh," he said. "Stay still, we're trying to stop the bleeding." Obediently, she lowered her hand. Never in his lifetime did he think he would in this situation. He didn't know what it was about Anya that made him want to run to her, to make sure she was safe. It wasn't until recently that he found he truly enjoyed listening to her voice. In between encounters with the Locusts, he caught himself looking forward to their short private conversations. They were nothing personal, but he found a small amount of peace whenever they would talk about anything but the war.

Dom had tied the long sleeves together and handed one end to Marcus. "See if we can tie this around her," he said.

It took several minutes to maneuver her body around without hurting her, but they managed to wrap the sleeves around her tiny waist while continually keeping pressure on both of her wounds. She moaned, holding in painful whimpers, but she managed to control her body. Marcus retrieved his discarded Lancer and shouldered it. "Come on, Anya," he said, slowly picking her up. "We're taking you home." Her head now rested against his chest, and with each step he took, she winced in pain, but she voiced no complaints.

Her lips turned up into a frail smile. "Every girl's dream to be saved by her favorite COG soldier," she said softly. He frowned when he heard her weak words. He was so used to hearing the commanding tone in her voice, telling them what to do, where to go. Now, she was so fragile, and he was afraid that her voice would be silenced if they didn't hurry.

"Please, I'm no hero," Marcus said. "I'm just a soldier."

Anya sucked in a breath before her breathing became normal again. "No... you're a protector... a savior, Marcus," she whispered.

"Hmph," Marcus kept his mouth shut. He didn't know about that, but he supposed that from her current perspective, she truly believed that. Here they were, fighting a drawn out war for a reasont aht was unknown them. They were risking their lives, but not everybody took kindly to the COGs. But then again, that didn't matter to him. All that mattered was the life he was literally carrying to safety. She probably wouldn't have said such things normally, but it was best that she was awake talking, even if it was nonsense to his ears.

"Keep her talking, Marcus," Dom said, following behind.

Medic 101, keep the survivor awake, as coherent as possible. "Gotta hand it to ya, small fry, you did good," Marcus said, and he meant it. It didn't take an over observer to see that she had killed two drones by herself. Surviving this long without help or aid alone was quite an achievement for an officer that only went through basic training.

"I was scared..." she cried softly. Her lips quivered, and her eyes screwed shut as if she was trying to drive out the faces of her attackers. She would probably have nightmares for a while now, but if he could take her mind off of them for a while, he'd gladly go out of his way to.

"Told you they're ugly," Marcus lightly joked. He wanted to take away as much of the horror from her as he could.

"Ain't that the honest to God truth," Dom sighed.

"Yeah, they'd give Dom a run for his money."

"Hey!"

He was glad to see a small smile on her face. She let out a heavy breath that he could only guess was a tiny laugh. Her breathing was unsteady, coming in sharp gasps. She looked so fragile and frail, almost like a newborn. He knew it was completely idiotic to think so, but he placed blame on himself. Somewhere along the way, he had taken it upon himself to ensure her safety, illogical as it seemed.

"Sergeant Fenix," interrupted the mechanical voice.

There wasn't any other time that he would have welcomed that foreign voice more. "I'm here, control. We've managed to find Anya. We're going to need immediate medical assistance once we're top side."

"I am glad to hear that, sergeant. May I speak to her?"

Marcus looked back to Dom, silently asking that he give Anya his earpiece for the time being. Without question, Dom gently placed his communication device over Anya's petite ear. "Go ahead control," Marcus said.

"Miss Anya?"

Anya's eyes opened, shining with recognition. "Jill, is that you?"

"It is. Miss Anya, I am happy to hear your voice. I have done what you have programmed me to do. The first half of the data is en route back to the control tower. The second half will be retrieved shortly. I must say though that the sergeant has a difficult time following orders. He told Colonel Hoffman to... I believe, fuck off. Even the orders administered by you, he deliberately ignored."

Anya's smile grew bigger, and she looked into Marcus' eyes. "Yes, he does have that tendency, doesn't he? I had a feeling that he wouldn't listen.

Eyebrow raised, Marcus asked, "what do you mean, you were programmed?"

Anya's eyes soften when she saw the confusion in his. "Marcus, JILL is the counterpart I created for JACK. She is the Joint Intelligence Link Liaison AI."

"Jack and Jill," Dom smiled. "How cute."

"I was working on her for a while now, and I made sure she took my place while I was gone." She took a moment to rest her voice before continuing. "It wasn't until recently that we were able to program a strong AI into them. Though it seems they've developed a form of... feeling for those working closest to them."

"That makes sense," Dom said with a chuckle. "I was wondering why JACK was flailing his arms around when we were ambushed back in that lab. It was like he was scared. Never seen a robot do that before."

"Miss Anya, I will send a rescue raven to you once you have reached the surface. Please, call on me if you require any assistance."

"Thank you, Jill," Anya said, closing her eyes.

"Miss Anya..." Jill said.

"Hmmm?" came Anya's tired voice.

"It's nice to have you back."

Marcus felt her nuzzle further into his arms. It was odd holding onto her like this, but he wasn't going to complain. Human contact was something that he had become accustomed to living without over the years. He had forgotten how pleasant it was to touch a woman, and it was a bonus that the woman in his arms was someone he cared greatly for. The little stunt he pulled earlier had proven that much. He replayed the entire scene in his head, wondering exactly what the hell he was thinking. There could have been other snipers in the area. But getting to her time, saving her, and carrying her to safety was his main priority. He couldn't explain his feelings to Dom if he asked. '_It made me feel...'_ Marcus was thinking of a word to best describe it, but he realized that that was it. It made him feel again.


	7. Preparation for Beginnings and Ends

The first time she awoke, something had jolted her from slumber. All she could hear were the whipping noises of a raven in flight while feeling the heavy vibrations of turbulence. Her vision was hazy, and she had a hard time focusing, so she kept her eyes closed. The flight was bumpy, but the strong arms wrapped around her would never let her fall. She supposed it was best to feign sleep at this point. No number of "thank yous" could amount up to the appreciation she had for Delta coming to her rescue.

It was difficult to tell others to forget about you when your instincts kept screaming to be rescued. So when JILL was finally up and running, she had specifically ordered JILL to prioritize accordingly. She had to look at the bigger picture, and it was one of the scariest things she had done. The human race was more important than her own life, but that didn't keep her from wishing that someone would help her. It was natural to feel that way, but part of her felt ashamed. However, the moment before she believed the locust drone would pull the trigger, she felt proud. Facing death, looking at it in the eye gave her new perspective.

Her body was sore, but it could heal. She would likely be scarred for life, but it was a small price to pay. A fresh supply of air was hers to breathe in through the oxygen mask strapped over her mouth and nose. She felt the pressure of the bandages wrapped tightly around her waist, arms, and shoulder. Knowing exactly who held her now made her feel a bit shy. What a time to look like hell...

She felt Marcus shift slowly, brushing hair out of her face. "She's going to make it, Marcus," she heard Dom say.

"I know, I just..." Marcus trailed off.

"Say no more, man," Dom said. "All of us are glad to see her alive. Hoffman's probably going to chew your ass out though."

"Like I give a damn," Marcus scoffed. "I would have liked to have seen him stop me."

Anya felt a flutter in her heart. She did recall JILL telling her that Marcus and Colonel Hoffman had gotten into an argument. What a crazy, reckless, loyal man. She remembered months ago when she was first assigned to support Delta, her opinion of Marcus Fenix was less than favorable. She had been told that he was a rogue soldier, that he didn't care for the well being of others. The only thing that mattered to him was his own personal priorities. How wrong she was for believing all those lies.

Slowly, she began to see that all he did care about was his team. He just had a difficult time showing it. The value of human life was more precious to him than he cared to let on, the value of his team could not be priced. And because of recent events she now understood, that she was part of his team as well.

She made another attempt to open her eyes. This time she could see the lower portion of Marcus' face. He was looking straight ahead, conversing with Dom. Around his neck, she saw his COG tags. She hoped that all the data they had secured would put a stop to the war. She would never want his tags to be in her possession, ever. She wanted him to live. There was too much death already, they had to stop the war now. It had dragged on for far too long, causing an endless amount of suffering. Humans were strong, despite what the Locusts thought. If they could only get the chance, they could rebuild everything they've lost.

Marcus shifted again, and this time he looked down at her. "How you feeling?" he asked.

She gave him a weak thumbs up, hoping he could see her smile behind the oxygen mask. Slowly, she placed her hand on her heart, then raised it to gently cup his cheek. He gave her a small smile, and then she lowered her hand and closed her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

3 Weeks later...

Anya nearly shot up out of her seat, but the sharp pain in her side forced her back down into the chair. "He's doing what?" she asked JILL in a mixture of shock and amazement.

The small robot hovered over her desk, buzzing and clicking. Two out of four of the metallic cranelike arms punched in numerous buttons on the side of its body. A hologram was displayed from its body, showing Marcus diving out of the way while a Berserker ran wildly passed him, knocking through a thick pillar. He kept the Hammer of Dawn firmly in his grasp, but he refrained from using it.

"Marcus, use the Hammer of Dawn," Anya pleaded, holding onto her headset firmly. '_What the hell is he thinking?_'

JILL beeped, "Miss Anya, communication with Delta has been severed for the time being. We only have visual. Apparently, he is using the Berserker to collapse the entire building in on itself, hoping to destroy the Locust stronghold inside. Though from my estimation, I show that Delta squad has only one more minute before the Locusts reach them." With that said, Marcus and Dom lead the Berserker back inside the building, accumulating more damage with every turn the Berserker took.

"That's crazy," she gasped. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw Dom and Marcus firing at the Berserker, grabbing its attention. They jumped to the side, avoiding the three ton animal and neighboring walls that began to collide. Anya saw Marcus shout something, but his voice was vacant. The entire building shook, rubble started falling from the ceiling. Large chunks of solid cement were hailing down on them, but Dom continued to throw grenade after grenade at all of the structure's support units.

Anya kept her hands over her mouth, her heart racing as she watched Marcus and Dom run as fast as they could outside, narrowly missing the cave in at the entrance of the building. But that didn't stop the Berserker from crashing through the wall of fallen rock. Anya could see her screaming in rage, swinging her deadly claws around, attempting to tear Marcus and Dom apart. Now that the building was collapsing, Marcus used the Hammer of Dawn, burning straight through the tough exterior of the Berserker. Its fur caught on fire, and the right arm melted off of the body. The second shot blasted right through her chest, scorching every inch of flesh from her throat to her torso. With the third shot, the Berserker crumpled to the ground, wisps of smoke rising from pieces of her body. The ground itself turned a dark black; a small crater had been formed from the powerful imulsion weapon.

To finish off the grand spectacle, a large portion of the building imploded, crushing the Locusts inside. Any that survived the initial fall, Marcus and Dom gunned down. When they were sure the Locust stronghold was destroyed, they used the newly made rubble for cover and allowed themselves a few minutes of rest.

Anya sank back deeper into her seat, sure that she would have a heart attack at some point before the war was over. She suddenly thought that giving JACK and JILL visual links wasn't such a healthy idea. "Miss Anya," JILL told her. "Communication with Delta has been reestablished, but the signal is quite weak."

"Marcus, are you all right?" Anya asked. It was a bit foolish to ask since she could clearly see him, but it was the only thing she could think after what she had witnessed.

"Never better," came the reply. "One more stronghold to hit before we take Nexus. How's deployment on your end?"

Anya snapped back into focus, the design of their master plan to take Nexus came rushing backing into her thoughts. "All COGs will be ready for deployment to the underground city by 0400 tomorrow." She clasped her hands together and brought them to her forehead. A thin layer of sweat had formed on her brow, and she wiped it away nervously.

"You all right?" Marcus asked softly.

She looked up to see the holographic image of Marcus staring directly at her. She had almost forgotten that JACK had all the capabilities that JILL had and then some. JACK now also served as a visual link for Delta and the control tower. "I... really hope this is it," she admitted. "I really want this to be the final stand." From day one, each of them had given their all, making sacrifice after sacrifice. She was tired... there was no other way to describe it. The more she thought about it, she realized that if it hadn't been for Marcus personally saving her, she might have allowed herself to die back in the Hollow. It was very possible that she might have just given up then and there, allowing the Locusts to take her. With Marcus by her side, she now understood how foolish it was of her to be willing to throw in the towel so easily.

"Don't we all..." Marcus sighed. "Look, just keep your chin up. We need a hundred and ten percent from everyone if we want this to end."

"You got it," she said with new found determination.

"Good. Now listen to me carefully," he said in deep seriousness. "If things don't go according to plan or if you guys are unable to hold the control tower, I want you out of there. Save who you can, but, I want you evacuating if shit hits the fan."

Anya smiled, making sure that Marcus could see her expression. She closed her eyes and nodded. "I wish I could make you promise me that you won't do something crazy... but I know that's wishful thinking."

"Heh, yeah... knowing my crazy ass, I'd probably hijack a Brumack or something just for the extra manpower," he said in light humor.

God, she hoped not. Then again, she wouldn't put it past him. They shared a silent moment, and she made it a point to remember every single feature on his face from his dark messy hair and intense blue eyes to the scar on his cheek, . This could honestly be the last time she saw him. "I'll see you when this is over, soldier," she said with a promise. She wouldn't let the Locusts have Delta, like hell she would. "Control out." She saw his image wave at her before it disappeared. Clasping her hands together, she bent her head forward and did something she hadn't done since she was a child. She prayed. It wasn't only for Delta, it was for every single human being on Sera. She wished and hoped with all of her being that their planet had a future, that it would be free of the Locusts' reign within the oncoming days. She breathed out slowly, and looked at JILL. "Come on, JILL. We need to protect our boys. It's time for our A game."

"Affirmative," JILL said.

Anya rolled her chair over to the terminal she was to use while the COGs grouped together to launch the final attack. Tomorrow, Nexus would fall, she just had to make sure Delta wouldn't go down with it. That was an outcome she wouldn't accept; she planned to be with Delta to the very end. With that thought in mind, she focused all of her attention on the holographic maps in front of her. It showed her every single nook and cranny around the Locust capital, and they had to coordinate their soldiers accordingly. There was still a bit they didn't know, but this was the closest they could get to the Queen. She had already mapped out exactly when and where Delta would be located for deployment. Now, she had a new project. She began developing alternative paths and routes for them to take so they could come home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

And there's the last chapter. I think I'll try a small epilogue. But I need to rethink some of the words I want to use. Anyhoo, I hope you all enjoyed that little journey. Obviously, there isn't resolution by way of the human vs locust issue. This fic mainly focused on the rescue of Anya and Hoffman. I am not yet confident in writing a full fledge novella right now, but writing these short pieces is certainly motivational. Thanks for reading. I hope it was enjoyable and entertaining, and more importantly that it did the Gears world some justice.

Kris


End file.
